Field of the Invention
This invention relates to use of essential oils and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for diffusers distributing atomized and vaporized essential oils from a reservoir.
Background Art
Mechanisms exist for altering a closed environment such as a room or home with humidity. Likewise, mechanisms exist for removing humidity. Electronic and chemical mechanisms for destroying microbial sources of scents exist. Meanwhile, sprays, evaporators, wicks, candles, and so forth also exist to distribute volatile scents, essential oils, liquids bearing scents, and so forth. These may be introduced into breathing air, an atmosphere of room, or any other enclosed space.
Heating often destroys or at least changes the constitution of essential oils. Thus, it has limitations. However, the evaporation rates or atomization rates of essential oils are often insufficient to provide a controllable, sustainable, and sufficient amount of an essential oil into the atmosphere. Thus, wicks having no air movement mechanism often prove inadequate.
Meanwhile, mechanisms that seek to copy vaporizers and moisture atomizers often damage surrounding equipment, furniture, and other environs of a space being treated by essential oils. Moreover, the continuing “spitting” by atomizers of comparatively larger droplets not only causes damage to finishes on surrounding surfaces, but wastes a substantial fraction of the essential oil.
Essential oils are concentrated sources of aromas or scents. Their extraction from source plants is sometimes complicated, and always comparatively expensive, based on the cost per unit volume of the essential oil. Therefore, colognes, other fragrancing systems, and the like often use high rates of diluents for essential oils. They also use synthetic oils and artificial scents that may not replicate the comforting, familiar, and natural essence of essential oils.
By whatever mode, systems to distribute essential oils often waste an expensive commodity while damaging surroundings about their atomizers or other distribution systems. Thus, it would be an advance in the art to provide an apparatus and method for distributing essential oils in as small particles as possible, preferably vaporized, while protecting surrounding areas. It would be an advance to do so while retrieving and recycling for re-atomization or diffusion any droplets that are larger than those that may be sustained by effectively Brownian motion once discharged into surrounding air.